Category: Poetry

Sophie the Orange. I mean, what can I say about Sophie the Orange? She’s a force of nature. She’s stands up for justice. She’s mindful and introspective. She’s funny. She’s awesome. And it was a loss for the MidRealm when she left to live in Atlantia.

So I was overjoyed to discover that William and Isolde wanted to give her something for that awesomeness, both at the SCA 50 Year Event, where she took a really difficult job and made it look easy, and in her tireless support of Commedia across the Known World.

Now that there were heirs, things really began kicking into high gear. And nowhere was that more apparent than at Northern Oaken War Maneuvers, or as we liked to call it, “Court: The Event!” SEVENTY AWARDS were given at NOWM, in one of FOUR COURTS held during the day:

Earlier this week, I reviewed the boast for Ulrich’s elevation to Chivalry. Today, we’ll talk about his scroll text.

I structured it to parallel the Oath of Knighthood, which calls upon Knights to be Prow, to be Reverent and Generous, Shield of the Weak, Obedient to his Liege Lord, Foremost in battle, Courteous at all times, and Champion of the Right and the good. These are fundamental concepts of Knighthood all across the SCA — but since Ulrich is a Viking half-dane, it needed to fit within a viking epic style. Because Ulrich was one of Ragvnaldr’s King’s Champion during the last reign, I also worked to tie some of the imagery in with the Lineage of Ragnvaldr I wrote several years ago.

In the last post, I talked about creating a new poetry form for Edmund and Kateryn’s Kingdom Augmentation. But that was not actually the first text that William and Isolde had asked me to create. Instead, way back in February and March, when we started discussing awards and coronation scripts, the first thing they asked me to do was to write a scroll text for Colin O’Flannery, who we all called Flan.

As I said a few months ago, I wrote nearly 60 scroll texts for awards given during the reign of William and Isolde. The thing about awards, tho, is that while everyone knows you got them, if they weren’t there to SEE you get them, they don’t necessarily know what it was for, what was talked about, etc.

So I’ve decided that a good use for this blog that mostly sits around doing nothing would be for me to go through the scroll texts I wrote (and any others I might come up with along the way) along with some other things, like boasts, etc, that I wrote for the reign, my process, etc. In chronological order.

Pennsic always gives us many memories. Sometimes, however, moments are only seen by a few, and deserve being shared with more people.

Back in AS 36-37, the MidRealm was ruled by Valharic and Alys. It has been many years since those heady days, and while I remember that reign fondly, both rulers have gone on to do more great things. Earlier this year, Dame Alys was recognized by Their Majesties for her service. On Monday of War Week, Duke Valharic was elevated to the Order of the Pelican.

This is the scroll text that was read. This text accompanies the gorgeous stained glass window created by Q Phia Sherry, whose work far outshines mine.

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Come now, all good MidRealm subjects,

See your King and Queen give respect

He stands tall in accomplishment:

His service deeds acknowledgement.

Wisdom, a virtue required

For all in peerage attired

He knows what is appropriate

For those who hold matters of state.

Bravery is known true by all

Who stand in mail to heed the call

For he has led the Kingdom fair

For Dragon wheeling in the air

Justice sustains all that we try

Its service brings our hearts to fly

Incorruptable does he stand

With grace and honor at his hand

Self restraint carries him onward

Son of Dragons to us returned

Dignity ever expanding

Our love for him is longstanding

Fides exemplifies him now

As he kneels to take MidRealm vow

Duke and Laurel has he been

And now, Valharic, Pelican.

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(espousing the Roman “virtues”, written in the manner of “Yvain, the Knight of the Lion”, by Chrétien de Troyes, composed between 1175 and 1185.)

Text by Andreas Blacwode

Scribed by Gillian de Solis (Christine Wallrich, who will hopefully provide a picture)

As I was heralding at Val Day this past weekend, I realized that while I’d written boasts for everyone processing in, I didn’t have any thing to say while TRM, TRH, etc, were processing out. I’d just taken a class on Formes Fixe that morning with Mistress Kasha, so I whipped out the class materials, and wrote this rondeau while standing behind the thrones.

To south the Gulf Wars road does lead,
The armies of the Mid grow strong,
And Edmund rides His battle steed
To south the Gulf Wars road does lead,
A growing appetite to feed
Amidst the dragon war band throng
To south the Gulf Wars road does lead,
The armies of the Mid grow strong!

I also wrote this rondeau for Her Majesty during court because She asked me to. (I set myself up for it, but there you are.) I made up a little tune, that of course I will never remember, but I definitely sang it for her.

I love the color of a leek
It is so bright and shiny green
And when I chew them they go squeak
I love the color of a leek
In stew or soup my hunger piqued
(This song requested by the Queen)
I love the color of a leek
It is so bright and shiny green.